1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept generally relates to an image forming apparatus which forms an image with a developer on a print medium, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus having an improved cooling structure to discharge heat generated inside the apparatus to the outside.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus performs a printing job for forming a visible image with a developer, ink or the like on a print medium, and generally includes a printer, a copier, a multi-function printer (MFP), etc. In the case where the image forming apparatus forms an image based on the developer, an image forming unit forms a visual image with a developer on a print medium, and a fixing unit fixes the image formed by the image forming unit on the print medium.
Such an image forming apparatus inevitably generates heat from the inside thereof when performing a printing job. In particular, temperature around the fixing unit becomes significantly higher due to fixing heat generated by the fixing unit. However, the developer is vulnerable to temperature because of its chemical properties, so that the developer or waste developer may be solidified when the inner temperature of the apparatus becomes higher. Such solidification of the developer or waste developer has an effect on operation of the image forming unit or transfer of the developer, thereby causing failure in the apparatus and a defective image.
Conventionally, the image forming apparatus includes an inhaling port through which external cool air is introduced in and an exhaust port through which internal hot air is discharged out. With this configuration, if the inhaling port and the exhaust port are arranged near the fixing unit, the fixing unit may have a non-uniform temperature since a region adjacent to the inhaling port and a region adjacent to the exhaust port are different in temperature. In this case, faulty fixing may arise due to a non-uniform fixing temperature.